Ekklesia: Most Christians do not support protest

Progressive Christian think tank Ekklesia has said the “panic and anxiety” from conservative Christian groups over gay rights laws "is a symptom of the demise of Christendom".

Religious groups will today demonstrate outside parliament against new regulations preventing businesses from refusing service to people on the grounds of sexual orientation.

Ekklesia believes the established relationship between government and religion is under threat and urges churches to adopt a new stance to reach out to people.

"The idea that all or even the majority of Christians support the extreme claims and views of many opponents of the fair and reasonable sexual orientation regulations is false," said co-director Simon Barrow.

"It is deeply sad that people backing tonight’s protest seem to be associating the Gospel with fear and prejudice – when those were precisely the things Jesus challenged in his co-religionists."